Last January at NAMM, Arturia, a company that’s justifiably famous for its spectacular software synths, unveiled a virtual analog synth module that it dubbed Origin. Essentially, it was a modular system that came loaded with modules “extracted” from some of the finest synthesizers of all time: Moog Modular, ARP 2600, Yamaha CS-80, the Minimoog, and Prophet VS. A hard act to follow, but at Musikmesse, Arturia is giving everyone a sneak peek at the brand new Origin Keyboard. Essentially, this is a 61-note keyboard version of the Origin, fully loaded with over 500 mind-bending presets created by some of the best musicians and top programmers on the planet. It has up to a whopping 32 notes of polyphony, but more importantly, it lets you perform and shape your music via an ultra-sensitive 40cm ribbon controller and a velocity and aftertouch sensitive, light-weighted keyboard. Add an ample selection of pro quality effects, such as Phaser, Chorus, Delay, FX Reverb, EQ, Bitcrusher, Compressor and more.
Superb audio quality comes courtesy of Arturia’s TAE engine with support for 24-bit/96kHz resolution. Origin lets you open dedicated software on your Mac and PC and use it as an AU or VST plug-in. All the sounds are calculated on the machine while you work on your computer, just as you would with a native application. Two analog audio inputs are provided along with 10 audio outs, a S/PDIF digital out, and even a USB 2.0 port for fast and easy connectivity with your Mac or PC. The whole concept of being a true modular system, but without the family trust fund to keep it up and running is pretty awesome. There are already 80 modules available, some brand new, some cloned from legendary synths of the past. The Origin Keyboard is guaranteed to be one of the most talked about instruments of the 21st century!